Playing Devil’s Advocate? The Devil is Not Welcome Here

The Devil is Not Welcome Here

I remember this one scene off of Bad Boys 2, where Martin Lawrence and Will Smith’s character’s infiltrate the home of a set of Carribbean antagonists. Will Smith, as Mike Lowery, announces himself as “the devil” to the blond dreadlocked fellow. The blond dreadlocked man, who seems to be the lead gangster, says:

“The Devil is not welcome heeeeeeere!”

“The Devil is not welcome heeeeere!”

Bad Boys 2 came out long before everyone on Facebook felt compelled to speak with pictures and memes, so a meme for this phrase didn’t exist (until now).

Back then, I thought it was funny as hell how that man said those words. Shoot, I still think it’s utterly hilarious. Why did that man say it like that? That man said “heeeeeeeere” with all the strength in his torso and penis. I always wondered if anyone else thought it was strangely hilarious how that character said that phrase.

While it’s uncertain if anyone else had my sense of comical detail, it is clear that I hold this man’s sentiment each time someone attempts to play “devil’s advocate” in regards to basic human rights, humanity, civil rights, and justice overall.

“Just playing Devil’s Advocate”

It seems no matter what, in mixed circles (mixed being that such circles include the sociologically privileged) someone is going to present a horrendously weak counter-argument to your cause. Protesting racism? A white privileged person will play “devil’s advocate” and bring up a myriad of whitewashed excuses and deflections. Protesting sexism, misogyny? Expect a man to mansplain and defend the indefensible.

The problem with the devil’s advocating are many; for starters the devil needs no advocate if the devil has the all forms of local, state, and national government. If the devil is the most empowered in this nation, then why act as if the devil is weak or missing in an argument for basic civil, human rights? The devil needs no advocacy if the devil walks in plain sight, completely unfettered by such things like a moral compass.

If you speak as the “devil’s advocate” and it’s really YOUR point of view, YOU are effectively “the devil”.

With that being said, the devil is not welcome here.

Another problem with the Devil’s Advocacy Brigade is the fact that they always act like their disinformation isn’t mainstream thought already. They always act like their disinformation is new; it isn’t. When it comes to racism, white America announces itself in all forms of art, entertainment and education tenfold — so it’s should be no surprise when a black abolitionist has an intimate understanding of the white point of view. When it comes to sexism and other forms of misogyny, men follow the same pattern. Shit ain’t new.

What’s worse is the sociological problem with devil’s advocacy by design; it’s a privilege flex. In regards to racism, a white privileged person is essentially flexing their white privilege by being so distant from a problem that plagues others, a problem to many that they technically benefit from. Sometimes you’ll come across a person who is doing this only because they are “testing you out”, under the guise of “making sure you’re good at this”. This, paired with tone policing, becomes particularly infuriating. No one needs to ensure that one is of sound logic, and no one needs to police emotionality.

The last problem with toying around with the devil is the intellectual dishonesty of it. Typically, the person playing devil’s advocate is not really playing at all. the person playing devil’s advocate is actually engaging in a passive-aggressive way to simply get in your way. If you speak as the “devil’s advocate” and it’s really YOUR point of view, YOU are effectively “the devil”.

With that being said, the devil is not welcome here.

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The Soul Brother #1 of a Kind. Consequentialist street photographer abolitionist writer/speaker who stands for any oppressed peoples. I do it because every man and woman deserves freedom of thought -- especially black folks.

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5 comments

Yes, this. People who play devil’s advocate are people who have absolutely no skin in the game,and becasue they have no stake in it, often feel free to police other people’s point of view. I’m especially wary when any white person online starts off any sentence with those words. Then I know I’m in for some overprivileged bs.

> Johnny Silvercloud posted: “The Devil is Not Welcome Here I remember this > one scene off of Bad Boys 2, where Martin Lawrence and Will Smith’s > character’s infiltrate the home of a set of Carribbean antagonists. Will > Smith, as Mike Lowery, announces himself as “the devil” to the blon” >

I agree with your general assessment but I want to present you with a question. Outside of the person playing the advocate for the devil actually being the devil, which I do totally agree, what do you think of the poor misguided souls who are not one of the privileged classes (either European, Male or both) taking up leagues with
Mr.Satan’ POV and providing free counsel on his behalf?